WHERE’S MIKEY? Invisible Bennet Apparently Was “Not Part Of The Core Negotiations” On Immigration Deal

Yesterday, Senator John McCain told The Colorado Observer that, much to the contradiction of Senator Michael Bennet’s statements, Colorado’s junior Senator played almost no role in the Gang of 8 of immigration deal.

WASHINGTON — Senator Michael Bennet’s role in a bipartisan group seeking to overhaul the nation’s illegal immigration laws was questioned after a key senator said he was “not part of the core negotiations.”

The Colorado Democrat, the new chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, did not attend a press conference at the Capitol Monday to announce the tenets of a comprehensive illegal immigration reform bill.

Sen. John McCain (R-Az.), one of five senators who attended the event, spoke about Bennet’s role as well as that of Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Az.) to this reporter afterwards.

“Neither [Bennet] nor Senator Flake were part of the core negotiations,” McCain said without elaborating.

McCain’s remark appeared to undercut statements that both Bennet and Flake’s offices released Monday.

Bennet’s statement implied he attended the press conference with the other members of the group.

Love or hate the deal, we think the whole thing is a comical illustration of how goofy Washington is. And more, it shows how shoddy the reporting has been.

To read some local accounts, you would think Bennet waded the Delaware through smog, ice and pestilence to forge an immigration deal.

Senator McCain told TCO a very different story. And so does this picture.